Report on Environmental and Social Impacts of Arnolds Field Landfill, East London

Site Overview and Primary Issues

• Location: Arnolds Field landfill, Launders Lane, east London, colloquially known as the “Rainham volcano.”
• Primary Problem: The site has been utilized for prolonged illegal waste disposal.
• Recurring Hazard: The landfill experiences recurrent fires during summer months, releasing plumes of acrid smoke over the surrounding area.
• Affected Areas: Nearby residential homes, public parks, and educational institutions are directly impacted by the environmental fallout.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Implications

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • The emission of toxic smoke from a hazardous waste site directly contravenes the goal of ensuring healthy lives.
   • Local populations, including vulnerable groups such as children in nearby schools, are exposed to air pollution, posing significant risks of respiratory illness and other long-term health complications.
2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • The existence of an unmanaged and hazardous landfill fails the objective of making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
   • It degrades the local environment, reduces the quality of life, and creates unsafe living conditions for the community, with residents reporting feelings of being trapped and abandoned.
3. SDG 15: Life on Land
   • The illegal dumping constitutes a severe form of land degradation, contaminating soil and groundwater.
   • This pollution directly threatens terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity, undermining efforts to protect and restore the natural environment.
4. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
   • The site’s long-term operation as an illegal dump points to a failure in effective governance, regulation, and enforcement.
   • This lack of institutional accountability undermines justice for the affected community and the rule of law concerning environmental protection.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The article highlights a direct threat to human health. The landfill bursts into flames, sending “plumes of acrid smoke over nearby homes, parks and schools.” This air pollution poses a significant risk to the respiratory health and overall well-being of the local residents.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The issue is located in “east London,” an urban area. The presence of a large, hazardous “illegal dump” that regularly catches fire makes the community unsafe, unhealthy, and environmentally degraded. The fact that residents “feel abandoned and trapped” points to a failure in creating an inclusive and sustainable urban environment.

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  The existence of an “illegal dump” indicates a fundamental failure in waste management systems, which is a key component of sustainable consumption and production. The article implicitly addresses the need for the environmentally sound management of waste.

• SDG 15: Life on Land

  The “Arnolds Field landfill” represents a piece of land that has been severely degraded and contaminated by years of illegal dumping. This directly relates to the goal of halting and reversing land degradation and restoring terrestrial ecosystems.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  The article states the site was used as an “illegal dump for years,” which signifies a failure of governance, regulation, and enforcement by local institutions. The residents’ feeling of being “abandoned” suggests a lack of access to justice and effective institutional response to their plight.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  • Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination. The “acrid smoke” is a clear example of the air pollution this target aims to address.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  • Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management. The article’s focus on an “illegal dump” and the resulting air pollution in London directly relates to this target.

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  • Target 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle… and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil. The landfill represents a complete failure to manage waste soundly, leading to the release of pollutants into the air (“acrid smoke”).

• SDG 15: Life on Land

  • Target 15.3: By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by contamination. The landfill site is a clear example of contaminated and degraded land in need of restoration.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  • Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels. The fact that the site was used as an “illegal dump for years” and residents “feel abandoned” implies a lack of effective and accountable institutions to prevent such activities and protect citizens.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  • Implied Indicator: The presence and frequency of “acrid smoke” serves as a qualitative indicator of hazardous air pollution. Progress could be measured by a reduction in fire incidents and improved air quality monitoring (Indicator 3.9.1: Mortality rate attributed to household and ambient air pollution).

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  • Implied Indicator: The existence of a large, unmanaged “illegal dump” is a direct indicator of the failure of municipal waste management. Progress would be the successful clearing and remediation of the site (Indicator 11.6.1: Proportion of municipal solid waste collected and managed in controlled facilities).

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  • Implied Indicator: The volume of waste present at the “Arnolds Field landfill” is an indicator of waste that has not been managed in an environmentally sound manner. Progress would be measured by the reduction and proper disposal of this waste.

• SDG 15: Life on Land

  • Implied Indicator: The area of the “Arnolds Field landfill” itself is an indicator of degraded land. Progress would be measured by the proportion of this contaminated land that is successfully restored (Indicator 15.3.1: Proportion of land that is degraded over total land area).

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  • Implied Indicator: The duration of the problem (“for years”) and the residents’ perception of being “abandoned and trapped” are qualitative indicators of institutional failure. Progress could be measured by official response times, enforcement actions taken, and surveys of residents’ satisfaction with institutional support.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: cnn.com